This invention relates generally to an improved bookholder which is portable and compact when it is not in use. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved bookholder, which is particularly useful for reading in bed at night from an inclined position, as well as adapted to other types of reading assistance, especially requiring illumination.
In my co-pending application, Ser, No. 000,221, filed Jan. 2, 1987, an improved bookholder was disclosed for inclined reading in bed wherein a support arm assembly, comprising arms disposed at right angles to one another and providing ledges for holding a book, was attached to a planar back wall. The back wall was supported from a base comprising an open box structure with an illuminating device inside.
Although the aforesaid bookholder successfully provided for illumination and inclined reading in bed, it would be desirable to provide an improved bookholder which presents a more tidy appearance when not in use. Also, the aforesaid previously described bookholder included means for holding a book in the horizontal position which raised it somewhat above the best position for proper illumination. Lastly, the support arm assembly in the aforesaid bookholder fixed the two arms together in a single assembly which somewhat limited its flexibility in providing multiple positions for holding the book.
Various bookholders have been suggested which are portable or which fold up when not in use. Examples are seen in U.S. Pat. No. 2,489,553--Wofford; U.S. Pat. No. 1,601,463--White et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,728--Corsello; U.S. Pat. No. 1,051,047--Wood; and U.S. Pat. No. 643,188--Hughes. Illuminating lamps have been suggested by U.S. Pat. No. 4,191,354--Chia Liu and others.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide an improved bookholder which is portable and can be folded away to provide a tidy appearance when not in use.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved bookholder for holding a book in either inclined or horizontal positions, while illuminating the pages.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide improved means for pivotably attaching and securing the movable arms in a improved bookholder.